Bell B206-B accident near Bloomington, Illinois, July 18, 2025
On July 18, 2025 at about 12:00 pm local time, a 1974 Bell B206-B (helicopter), registered N975TR, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Bloomington, Illinois (Central Il Rgnl/Bloomington-No airport). It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to avoid power lines during an aerial application flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2025 · about 12:00 pm local time
- Place
- Bloomington, Illinois · Central Il Rgnl/Bloomington-No · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bell B206-B, built 1974
- Registration
- N975TR · registry record · serial 1235
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he was completing an aerial application flight in the helicopter. During a spray pass, he noticed a car on the nearby road, so he slowed the helicopter to avoid the applicant drifting onto the car. He then noticed power lines in front of him and attempted to fly underneath them but collided with the lower line. The pilot lost control of the helicopter which impacted in a field and came to rest on its left side. The helicopter sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and tail boom. The pilot added that he was not aware of the powerlines before the flight, even though he had sprayed this field many times before.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Last flight review: June 12, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Allison 250 (turboshaft); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Minier IL
- Destination: BMI Bloomington IL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,200 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 6:56 am from KBMI, 3 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBMI 181156Z 04007KT 10SM BKN042 OVC055 18/17 A3014 RMK AO2 SLP200 70001 T01780172 10189 20178 53009
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN25LA266.